Maurer v. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 569

200 F. Supp. 3d 1052, 2016 WL 4142341, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 102852
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. California
DecidedAugust 4, 2016
DocketCase No.: 3:16-cv-00676-GPC-JMA
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 200 F. Supp. 3d 1052 (Maurer v. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 569) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Maurer v. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 569, 200 F. Supp. 3d 1052, 2016 WL 4142341, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 102852 (S.D. Cal. 2016).

Opinion

ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANTS’ MOTION TO DISMISS

[ECF No. 4, 7]

Hon. Gonzalo P. Curiel, United States District Judge

Before the Court are Defendants San Diego Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee’s (“JATC”) Motion to Dismiss (“JATC Mot.”), ECF No. 4, and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 569, AFL-CIO’s (“IBEW”) Motion to Dismiss, (“IBEW Mot.”), ECF No. 7. Upon consideration of the moving papers and the applicable law, and for the reasons set forth below, the Court GRANTS both JATC’s and IBEW’s Motion to Dismiss without prejudice.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

On January 10, 2012, pro ■ se Plaintiff Martin Maurer (“Plaintiff’) entered into an apprentice agreement with JATC, Compl. ¶ 25, ECF No. 1, which Plaintiff alleges is “a joint apprentice committee under a collective bargaining agreement within the meaning of Cal. Lab. Code Ann. § 3075(a).” Id. ¶ 10. On March 1, 2012, Plaintiff was admitted into the IBEW, Id. ¶ 26, which Plaintiff alleges is a labor organization within the meaning of 29 U.S.C. § 152(5). Id. ¶ 8. On February 18, 2015, Plaintiff was dispatched to work as an electrician for Five Star Electric. Id. ¶ 7. On February 27, 2015, Plaintiff was fired from his job when he was handed a Termination Notice by an acting foreman of Five Star Electric; no reason was given for the termination. Id. ¶ 28.

On March 5, 2015,' Plaintiff filed a grievance with the IBEW office, challenging the lack of reasons for his termination. Id. ¶ 31. On March 30, 2015, Plaintiff received a letter from JATC stating that Plaintiff was “to show-cause” why JATC should not recommend to the Administrator of Apprenticeship (“Administrator”) that Plaintiffs apprenticeship agreement be canceled in light of his termination from Five Star Electric. Id. ¶ 32. Plaintiff received this letter one day prior to a hearing before JATC, which occurred on March 31, 2015. Id. At the hearing, Plaintiff was informed that the grievance he filed did not have merit. Id. ¶ 35.

On April 5, 2015, Plaintiff received a letter from JATC stating that JATC made a decision to apply to the Administrator to cancel Appellant’s apprenticeship agreement effective March 31, 2015. Id. ¶ 36. Sometime between March 31, 2015 and May 14, 2015, Plaintiffs union classification was changed from “Apprentice Wire-man” to “Unclassified.” Id. ¶ 38. Although the Complaint does not specifically address what happened next, it appears that Plaintiff appealed this decision to the Administrator. Id. ¶ 54. On January 29, 2016, the Administrator decided that JATC failed to demonstrate a good and sufficient reason for canceling Plaintiffs apprenticeship agreement and reinstated Plaintiff to the apprentice agreement. Id. ¶ 54-55.

PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

On March 21, 2016, Plaintiff filed a Complaint against Defendants JATC and IBEW alleging six causes of action against both Defendants. ECF No. 1. Plaintiff brings the First, Second, and Third causes of action under section 301 of the Labor-Management Relations Act of 1947 [1055]*1055(“LMRA”), 29 U.S.C. § 185, alleging that Defendants breached their contractual obligations by unfairly and unreasonably terminating Plaintiffs apprenticeship agreement. Compl. ¶ 1. Plaintiff brings the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth causes of action under section 101(a)(5) of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 (“LMRDA”), 29 U.S.C. § 411(a)(5), alleging that defendants infringed upon his rights by bringing improper disciplinary action. Id. ¶ 2. Both Defendants move to dismiss Plaintiffs Complaint pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6). ECF No. 4, 7.

CAUSES OF ACTION

1. In the First cause of action, Plaintiff alleges that Defendants breached the “IBEW Constitution” by removing Plaintiff from JATC’s apprenticeship program and reclassifying plaintiff. Compl. ¶ 62. Plaintiff alleges that the IBEW Constitution is a contract between Plaintiff and IBEW, within the meaning of section 301 of the LMRA, 29 U.S.C. § 185, which requires that disciplinary charges be brought by the local union’s Executive Board following specific safeguards. Id. ¶ 61.

2. In the Second cause of action, Plaintiff alleges that IBEW breached the “Inside Agreement” by failing to require Five Star Electric to provide Plaintiff with a termination slip stating the reason for his termination. Id. ¶ 66. (Plaintiff also refers to the Inside Agreement as the “collective bargaining agreement.” See id. ¶ 13(b).) Plaintiff alleges that the Inside Agreement is a contract between Plaintiff and IBEW, within the meaning of section 301 of the LMRA, 29 U.S.C. § 185, which requires that electricians to be terminated be given a termination slip stating the reason for the termination. Id. ¶ 65.

3. In the Third cause of action, Plaintiff alleges that Defendants breached the “National Standards” by accepting and introducing an apprentice evaluation form in a disciplinary hearing that was not filled out by the journeyman working with Plaintiff. Id. ¶70. (Plaintiff also refers to the National Standards as the “National Guidelines.” See id. ¶ 13(d).) Plaintiff alleges that the National Standards is a contract between Plaintiff and IBEW, within the meaning of section 301 of the LMRA, 29 U.S.C. § 185, which requires that apprentice evaluation forms be filled out by the journeyman the apprentice works with. Id. 1Í69.

4. In the Fourth cause of action, Plaintiff alleges that Defendants infringed upon Plaintiffs rights pursuant to section 101(a)(5) of' the LMRDA, 29 U.S.C. § 411(a)(5)(A), by ordering Plaintiff to show cause why he should not be removed from the JATC’s apprenticeship program “without serving plaintiff with written specific charges.” Id. ¶ 74.

5. In the Fifth cause of action, Plaintiff alleges that Defendants infringed upon Plaintiffs rights pursuant to section 101(a)(5) of the LMRDA, 29 U.S.C. § 411(a)(5)(B), by giving Plaintiff only one-day written notice to “show cause” why he should not be expelled from JATC’s apprenticeship program with only one-day written notice. Id. ¶ 78.

6. In the Sixth cause of action, Plaintiff alleges that Defendants infringed upon Plaintiffs rights pursuant to section 101(a)(5) of the LMRDA, 29 U.S.C. § 411(a)(5)(C), by deciding to expel Plaintiff from the JATC’s apprenticeship program “without a full and fair hearing.” Id. ¶ 82.

LEGAL STANDARD

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200 F. Supp. 3d 1052, 2016 WL 4142341, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 102852, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/maurer-v-international-brotherhood-of-electrical-workers-local-569-casd-2016.